The man, Roumen Nikolov Dimitrov, was arrested by Baltimore County police Monday morning at the Loch Raven Reservoir, where he was running around nude Monday morning.

An attorney representing Lemko Community House, a Fells Point senior citizens center, says Mr. Dimitrov was the victim of a cruel joke.

The attorney, Joseph Scalia, said Mr, Dimitrov, 26, who speaks broken English, works as a security guard at the South Anne Street building.

Mr. Scalia said Mr. Dimitrov and several other men drove out to the reservoir from Fells Point early Monday morning and went swimming near the Dulaney Valley Road bridge, a popular spot for swimming and fishing.

"The other men played a dirty trick on him," Mr. Scalia said, "by stealing his clothes and leaving him out there alone."

The lawyer said Mr. Dimitrov didn't known the men very well and that they took advantage of him.

Mr. Scalia said Mr. Dimitrov became confused and frightened when he was abandoned.

"He ran up onto Dulaney Valley Road near Jarrettsville Pike with a T-shirt he found in the woods and was trying to get someone to help him when the police arrived and arrested him," said the lawyer.

At least one police officer and a motorist were assaulted by the man, who also jumped onto the hood of one car and tried to get into another.

Mr. Scalia said the man was very upset about not having any clothes and had difficulty expressing himself to others who couldn't understand him.

"He's a very gentle man under normal circumstances and has worked as a security officer at Lemko House for more than a month," Mr. Scalia said.

Since his arrest, Mr. Dimitrov has been under police guard at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, where he is being evaluated.

Police said Mr. Dimitrov is being held without bail, pending an investigation.

They said the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service also has been contacted.

He said he hopes the police and a judge will understand the circumstances and either set a low bail or release Mr. Dimitrov into his custody today.

"The entire situation is very confusing for him," Mr. Scalia said.

County police said the charges normally aren't considered serious, but that no bail was set as a way to detain Mr. Dimitrov.

Mr. Dimitrov, however, has become unruly, even in his hospital room.

Monday morning, Mr. Dimitrov tried to get out of his bed when Officer Steven Lowman of the Cockeysville District attempted to restrain him.

A struggle ensued and the officer was struck several times and thrown against a wall. The officer was injured, treated at the hospital's emergency room and released.